The 48 Ways: 9-11

From Student to Teacher and a Perfect World

Chapter 6, Mishna 6

By Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld

"Torah is greater than priesthood and kingship, for kingship is acquired
with 30 qualities, priesthood is acquired with 24, whereas the Torah is
acquired with 48 ways. These are: ... (9) service of the sages, (10)
careful discussion with colleagues, (11) sharp discussion with students..."

The first quality of this week -- "service of the sages" -- is typically
understood to mean studying from Torah teachers. However, more literally
it means "serving" the scholars -- physically waiting on them and seeing
to their needs. The Talmud states that serving Torah scholars is greater
than studying from them (Brachos 7b). Far better than studying texts from
him, one who "serves" his teacher witnesses the Torah in action -- from a subservient standpoint -- understanding the manner the Torah's teachings are exemplified and put into practice.

Modern teaching methodology generally favors teaching through live
interaction and example. The student should not just learn from a text. He
should experiment for himself and involve all his senses in the learning
process. So too, one of the most important parts of studying Torah is
seeing its values in action and embodied in a living Torah scholar. (The
Internet is useful, but only to a point... :-\ ) For this reason, Judaism
places a great deal of emphasis on the moral caliber of a teacher -- that
he be worthy of living up to what he represents. (See for example Talmud
Ta'anis 7a.)

The three qualities of this week form a natural progression. One first
studies from his teacher, then reviews with his fellow students, and
finally passes on what he has learned to his own students.

However, this progression is not chronological alone. As one progresses
from one level to the next, he himself reaches higher levels of insight
and understanding. In the Talmud, R. Yehuda HaNasi stated
that he learned much from his teachers, more from his colleagues, and the
most from his students (Makkos 10a). Explaining and giving over to others
is not only an important means of instructing the next generation. It is
as much a growing experience for the teacher. As the Talmud puts it, more
than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse (Pesachim 112a).
When we clarify to ourselves to the point that we can impart to others, we
have made a true acquisition of the Torah ourselves.

Many years ago a friend of mine approached R. Yaakov Weinberg of blessed
memory, past Rosh Yeshiva (dean) of Ner Israel Rabbinical College,
regarding accepting a rabbinical position in a smaller, fairly distant
Jewish community. The question was if he should accept the post or
continue his full-time study in Ner Israel. He expected an answer of the
sort that of course it would be nice to study in yeshiva forever, but one
has to sacrifice for the greater good of Israel. We can't just study
ourselves our entire lives -- as rewarding that is to the Torah scholar --
but we must give over to the many thirsting Jewish souls who have no one
from whom to learn. This was the sort of discussion my friend expected to
have with this great man.

Let's just say, however, that the conversation did *not* go according to
plan. (One of the more impressive -- if exasperating -- qualities of my
teacher R. Weinberg was that he never gave the answer one expected. He
could never be accused of spouting the party line. He was far too creative
to easily be pigeonholed. And here too, he threw an interesting curve --
but one which with a little thought, we can certainly appreciate.)

R. Weinberg said in short: Always do what is best for you. Don't sacrifice
your own life by living for others or by making your own life decisions
because of them. (We're obviously not talking about when there is
literally no one else to teach others Torah.) G-d placed us here to
fulfill our own missions and realize our own potential. We must live for
ourselves -- not in a selfish way, but in order that G-d's plans for us be
fulfilled.

However, there comes a time when everyone must leave the study hall. This
is not because we must sacrifice for the sake of others or because we must
go out and earn a living (although that rarely isn't the case). It is
because we ourselves will never fully realize our potential so long as we
remain in yeshiva. There is a point when the scholar will no longer grow
in study, when he has little more to gain from his teachers and
colleagues. This is not, of course, because he has mastered all of G-d's
infinite wisdom. But there is a point at which we stagnate. We become very
good at what we do -- and it no longer challenges us. We've studied for
years, we've covered a lot of ground, and one more responsum or page of
the Talmud will not really qualitatively make a difference.

At that point a person must move on. He must expose himself to higher
goals and greater challenges. He must find it within himself to give over
to others, in particular to challenge himself by going up against the
independent-mindedness and chutzpah of the next generation. Such a teacher
will be forced to understand the Torah, himself, and his positions so much
better if he wants to give it over to usually less-than-eager students. It
had better make sense to him and be a part of him if he wants not only to
explain it to others but to become a living example of Torah and Judaism
himself. If he can get it by today's youth (or any generation's youth --
we really weren't all that better back then), he's got to be pretty darn good.

All of this sounds a little selfish -- learn, study -- even teach -- for
yourself. But the world is too perfect -- at least on an ideal level we
don't often relate to -- to be any different. As we progress through our
lives, we should never think of life as some great sacrifice -- deny from
yourself so you can give to others -- or even deny from yourself so you
can live spiritually. The world is too perfect. When the time is ripe,
helping others will be the best thing you can do for yourself as well. The
time comes in a person's life when he himself will grow most by giving
over to others -- whether to students or to a spouse and children. G-d
presents us with the challenges we need in life; it is up to us to see
when the time comes to move on.

Thus, we should view life at every stage with a new sense of challenge.
And we need the challenge. When we get too good at doing things the same
old way -- once we've gotten good at one stage of life -- it is usually
time to move on. People who spend long periods of their lives continuing
to do what they do best -- even the student who spends too many years in
study -- often stagnate and become too complacent to move on to bigger
things. Life must always provide us with fresh challenges, or the existing
ones will become stale -- and we will have gotten too used to taking it
easy. Being too good is dangerous. If you're breezing through high school,
it's time to take college-level courses. If you're the best basketball
player in your division, it's time for the big leagues. Man needs
challenge, for if we are not moving forwards, we are comfortably and
relaxingly slipping back.